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September 15, 2009

G143: Red Sox 4, Angels 1

Matsuzaka (6-3-0-3-5, 93) did not allow a hit until the fifth inning -- and he worked out of a 2nd & 3rd, 1 out jam in that inning by striking out pinch-hitter Gary Matthews and Chone Figgins.

Dice stayed with his fastball in the early innings. He threw 63% fastballs, much higher than his 52.5% career average. His pitches were faster, crisper and far less hittable than at any other point this season. However, he did throw only 56% strikes.

The Sox scored twice in the sixth. Alex Gonzalez singled off the Wall and Jacoby Ellsbury bunted for a hit. Dustin pedroia bunted down the third base line, and Lackey threw the ball away past third. Seabass scored. After J.D. Drew grounded out and Jason Bay walked to load the bases, David Ortiz singled off left fielder Juan Rivera's shoetops.

In the eighth, Drew tripled with one out and scored on Bay's single to left. Bay was easily thrown out trying for a double. Ortiz then launched a dong to dead center. It was his 270th home run as a DH, a new major league record.

Dice got ahead of the first batter of the game (Figgins) 0-2, but walked him. Same old Dice? No. He retired the next eight Angels until he walked Figgins again (with two outs) in the 3rd. But he got the next hitter and then retired the side in order in the fourth. He got out of the fifth inning jam, then worked around a one-out double in the sixth.

The Blue Jays belted five dongs in a 10-4 rout of the Yankees (although the MFY outhit them!) and the A's beat the Rangers 6-1, so Boston is 6.5 GB in the East and 5.5 GA in the WC.

Matsuzaka returns to the Boston rotation after almost three months. His last start was on June 19 (log). The big question -- the only question, really -- is whichDicewill we see?

Along the way there was a bit of controversy about his training and pitching methods. (And NPB had a brief post in August about pitch counts in Japan and MLB.)

John Farrell:

He has done an outstanding job of committing to a program and getting himself in what we consider, just from the naked eye, better shape. He's reshaped his body. He's added core strength. He's gotten the strength levels in his shoulder back to a level where he was a year ago. I think he feels good about himself as well, so we're all looking forward to his next time out here.

Terry Francona:

He kind of evolved the last couple of years. He got away from the guy we had signed for a few different reasons. I think what we're hoping to do is see closer to the stuff that we saw when we signed him. You might not see the exact same stuff. I don't know if that's fair. But get closer to it this year, [and hope] that during the winter then when he comes back next year, we're back to that guy with a better comfort for pitching here and living here culturally and competing.

In his final minor league start, Dice hit 93 with his fastball and threw 61 of 89 pitches for strikes. But that was against A-ball hitters.

I'm tired of fuckin' around with this "win against shitty teams and don't do so well against playoff bound teams" thing they've been bullshitting.

And as for Martinez out, Tito just wants to make sure that he doesn't have to hear about the magic cactus again...if Dice is shit, then its all V-Mart's fault. But if Dice is shit with Tek behind the dish, then it's all Dice...

But, that's moot because Dice won't be shit. His pitches will tumble like they've been exiled on main street!

Kilgore: "Youkilis is out with back spasms, and Martinez is in Cleveland attending to a family matter.Youkilis went to Massachusetts General Hospital and it was believed he might have had a kidney stone. He does not, but he does have lower back spasms. ...Martinez may not have played tonight, anyway, because he got hit in the leg while blocking the plate Sunday. ... Francona indicated Martinez is likely to return Thursday."

It's OK, I'm sure that somewhere, someone said it before me, anyway. I'd bet that there's at least one person somewhere in the universe that mentions the dreaded words after the first out of every game.

I must confess. Even though he has apparently had a pretty damn good game so far - given that this IS his first start after such a long time off - I'd really love to see some serious O about now. Excuse me, after this next OTT I mean.

I climbed a mountain on my bicycle with a friend (who was on his bike, in case anyone was wondering :P) without stopping once (friend stopped twice), went down this TREACHEROUS downhill off-road trail with HUGE rocks in the middle of it... The craziest and trickiest terrain I had ever ridden on in my life. At times I feared or my life, at other times I just laughed so hard at how I just kept going! I wasn't crashing!

It was hilarious. Then I went up the hill a little bit again, then raced down and got up to 43.5 mph on a MOUNTAIN BIKE.

I was, Amy! Most definitely, haha. I should have been wearing full body armour if I had known the terrain I'd be riding on. :)

Had a great dinner, went to the gym, great exercise and hanging out at the front with a friend of mine where much hilarity ensued... I get in the car and I'm like HUH! That's right, the Red Sox are on!

Although I had been watching on the TV on an elliptical and doing play-by-play in my head, haha.

Way cool Ish. Was going to share a bit about my son, who rides mountain bikes as well, but just got a call from Dora, my dear friend. She's banged up her head and daughter has the car and is not answeringthe phone. On my over to check on her.Win, plz.Later